The Forgotten Warrior/Chapter 2
Chapter description :Ivypool goes with Whitewing and Dovewing to a tiny stream outside of the ThunderClan camp. The trip was hard for Ivypool because the night before she took part of some tough training in the Dark Forest with Sunstrike, Redwillow, and Hawkfrost, and that she was still exhausted and hurt from it. Dovewing is also exhausted from going to the mountains with Jayfeather. Whitewing suggests that they stop so her daughters can have a drink and groom themselves, but Dovewing says that they should keep going to a good mossy place further on. Whitewing says that they are not close to being fine, and adds that she knows something is troubling them, and that they do not have to tell her, but that she is her mother, and nothing can ever make her love them less. :Ivypool doesn't say anything, but thinks that she can prove Whitewing wrong, referring to the Dark Forest. While Whitewing helps groom her daughters, Dovewing mentions that she had a bad dream the previous night. It was about what happened at the mountains with Swoop, who got carried away by an eagle, bringing her death. Whitewing tells Dovewing not to worry about it and that eagles never come to the lake. Ivypool thinks that if they did, Dovewing would be able to hear them first. Ivypool and Whitewing get up, but Dovewing remains sitting. Ivypool asks what's wrong, and Dovewing tells her that she still cannot hear properly, saying she can hear what is around her, like Ivypool and Whitewing, but not things further away like she usually could. Ivypool consoles her sister my saying it was just because she heard a lot of things since she went to the mountains, and that it should wear off soon. Dovewing remarks that she feels useless to the Clan, but Ivypool says otherwise. Whitewing cuts off their conversation by saying it's time to go because they had moss to collect and that she wanted to hunt for the elders. :Ivypool and Dovewing go to an oak tree where there is lots of moss. Ivypool hears rustling in the trees and realizes it is only Jayfeather. Whitewing tells her that she should ask the medicine cat if he needs any help. Ivypool is hesitant, but does it anyway. Whitewing is impatient and flicks her tail. Ivypool asks Jayfeather if he needs any help to which he answers with a simple "no." Ivypool protests that she has to tag along, or else she would be sent back to him. Jayfeather agrees, but warns her not to guide him at all because he has been making his way through this forest blind before she was even kitted and also adds that he wants to collect marigold at the top of the hollow. :Jayfeather then describes the place where the marigold is, impressing Ivypool at his description since he had never seen it. She then follows Jayfeather smoothly until he gets caught in some brambles. Ivypool tries to help the medicine cat, but thinks better of it because of Jayfeather's high self-esteem and pride. After a moment, he frees himself with just a tuft of fur left behind. They find the marigold patch, but it is covered in the scent of rabbits. Ivypool sees that the rabbits ate all the marigold. Jayfeather is also angry, since this is the only place marigold will grow well. Ivypool soon scents tons of marigold, and follows her nose to a beech tree with a hollow between a branch and the trunk filled with rainwater, and fresh marigold growing in there. :Ivypool calls Jayfeather, who thinks it's a joke. Ivypool drops the plants down to him, and he remarks that this is the strangest thing he's ever come across. They try to think of how the plants got up in the tree, but their ideas aren't very likely. While they carry the bundles back to camp, they discuss how to keep the rabbits out in the future. Ivypool suggests bringing the scent of fox to the marigold patch to keep the rabbits away. Jayfeather is unimpressed and convinced that her idea won't work. After Ivypool talks about getting some old fox dung, the medicine cat is more keen to her idea. They reach the camp, and Briarlight is happy that they found some marigold. :Jayfeather shoos Ivypool away to collect the dung to protect the growing marigold. The young warrior decides to go with another warrior, since she might encounter a fox and didn't want to be lectured. Ivypool sees Blossomfall, and asks her to come with her. Blossomfall stares at Ivypool and politely refuses, saying that she promised to help Mousefur and Purdy with their ticks. Ivypool thinks that Blossomfall is lying, since she didn't go to Jayfeather for some mouse bile. Ivypool suddenly hears pawsteps, and realizes it's her father, Birchfall. Ivypool repeats the question of coming with her to collect fox dung to her father. Birchfall wants to come, and they leave camp. :Birchfall mentions seeing Ivypool in the Dark Forest with Hawkfrost, training, three nights ago. Ivypool is shocked that anyone from ThunderClan would even consider joining forces with Tigerstar, who almost destroyed the Clan multiple times. Ivypool thinks that most cats in ThunderClan are training with Tigerstar, and the only ones she can trust are Lionblaze, Jayfeather, and Dovewing. Ivypool and Birchfall awkwardly continue their conversation about the Dark Forest. Ivypool tactfully switches the subject back to the foxes, and asks her father if he has scented anything yet. Birchfall responds that they need to move closer to the border. :Birchfall suddenly senses a fox, and tells Ivypool that it isn't that far off. Ivypool can't shake the feeling that she is being watched. The young warrior soon yelps in pain and finds herself stuck in brambles. Birchfall helps Ivypool get out of the thicket with a few tufts of silvery-white fur left behind. Birchfall chortles that it looks like it's been snowing but asks his daughter if she's alright. They continue on. Ivypool sees the den as Birchfall announces where the fox den is. They figure out by scent that the fox isn't there. Ivypool collects the dung on a stick. :Birchfall exclaims that it really smells, but Ivypool retorts that he'll want and need it when he's wounded. They reach the marigold patch and drag the stick along the perimeter. Birchfall suggests to go back to camp the long way, since he wants to wash the fox scent off of his paws in the stream. Ivypool trips over a branch and hurts her leg where she was wounded the night before in the Dark Forest. Birchfall tells her that she needs to be quicker and that she can't fail her training because of an accident. Ivypool knows that Blossomfall and Birchfall were tricked. Birchfall nervously mutters that they've been spotted. Breezepelt and Heathertail, with their apprentices, demand that they get out of the stream. Heathertail snaps that they put their scent markings on the bank, but Birchfall retorts that they did too, since you can't put scent markers in water. :Breezepelt quietly tells them to get out while Boulderpaw announces that he will fight them. Furzepaw and Breezepaw hiss to them that they will shred them in the Dark Forest that night. Sorreltail suddenly appears with Bumblestripe, Hazeltail, and Berrynose. Ivypool explains her and Birchfall's situation to Sorreltail. Sorreltail tells both of them to come with the patrol home. Ivypool realizes that her father is never so battle-hungry, and that the Dark Forest is changing him. Birchfall calls that they will settle it later, and Breezepelt agrees. Characters Major }} Minor *Breezepelt *Furzepaw *Heathertail *Boulderpaw *Sorreltail *Blossomfall *Jayfeather *Briarlight *Whitewing *Dovewing }} Mentioned *Hazeltail *Tigerstar *Berrynose *Hawkfrost *Mousefur *Purdy *Sunstrike *Redwillow *Swoop }} Notes and references Category:Chapter subpages Category:The Forgotten Warrior Category:Omen of the Stars arc